1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to adhesive tapes which when wound about the handle of a sports appliance creates a sheath thereabout, and more particularly to a sport tape which imparts pneumatic cushioning characteristics to the sheath formed thereby, and which enhances the grip of the handle.
2. State of the Art
In many types of sports equipment, such as tennis racquets, baseball bats and exercise bar bells, the handle thereof is usually of a hard, smooth material. As a consequence, the handle becomes slippery, especially when in the course of play, moisture from the hand coats the handle surface. Also, in some cases, the cross-sectional dimension of the handle may render it uncomfortable to a player with a large hand, for the handle does not have an adequate gripping surface.
It is therefore common practice for a player to wipe the handle of his sports appliance with one or more layers of friction tape to create a sheath thereabout. This effectively enlarges the cross-sectional dimension of the handle to an extent which satisfies the player's requirements. And because friction tape is made of woven cloth having a coarse finish, the resultant rough sheath surface affords an enhanced grip.
Because friction tape makes use of a porous cloth which is permeated by adhesive, it has a characteristic stickiness which gives it an unpleasant "feel". Also a handle sheath formed from friction tape lacks cushioning properties, and this too is a drawback. The sharp impact between a ball and a racquet or whatever other sports appliance is being handled, often results in a considerable shock force which is transmitted by the handle to the hand of the player. The transmission of the shock force to the hand is not substantially reduced by a friction tape sheath.
Thus "tennis elbow" is an inflammation of the elbow resulting from excessive or violent movement of the hand in the course of play. This painful condition may be aggravated by shock forces transmitted to the hand by the handle of the racquet.
In the case of baseball bats, many players wrap their bat handle with friction tape to obtain a better grip. But here again, while the resultant tape sheath enhances the gripping surface, it does little to cushion the hand against shocks produced when the bat strikes a ball traveling at high velocity.
In the case of a handle made of a highly polished metal or other hard and smooth material, as in a heavy-weight exercise bar bell, it has been found that the apparent weight of the bar bell in the hand of the user is affected by the nature of the handle. Because the handle is hard to the touch and makes direct contact with the fingers of the hand, the load imposed on the hand by the handle is not dispersed or distributed thereby, and the bar bell may seem heavier than it really is. A simple analogy which explains this phenomenon is a heavy carton having a hard round wood handle. It is a common impression that this carton seems lighter when lifted if one first wraps about the wood handle a soft fabric or foam rubber cover which somewhat enlarges and softens the handle.